High Maintenance
by JadeLightning-Wolf
Summary: Oneshot Kaoru has moved into a new apartment and finds things wrong at every turn. Her maintenance man is not what she expected, however. KenxKaoru Pure Christmas fluff


Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Viz, Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shonen Jump, and various other entities. I am not a part of any of these so he sadly does not belong to me at all.

Warnings: Language and excessive amounts of fluff. Beware cavities. Please note this version is edited to meet site requirements. If you'd like to read the uncut version please go to my author page and visit my mediaminer account.

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**High Maintenance**

Creaky stairs, leaky ceilings, drafty windows, flaking paint, crappy electricity, rusty pipes…the list went on and on and on. This was certainly not the life Kamiya Kaoru had pictured when she had dreamt of being out on her own. The glorious Bohemian throwback apartment of her imagination had been shot to hell with her first piddling paycheck. Instead, she found herself in a two room apartment in the rough side of town. But she did love it.

Wearily, she climbed the four floors to her apartment and unlocked the door, jiggling the handle twice the way the owner had shown her to make the key catch the tumblers. The door creaked open with a sound that made her teeth set on edge. _WD-40_ she added to her mental list of things she needed to clean her place up. On her second week of occupancy, Kaoru had discovered something startling. She enjoyed fixing things, most especially the trivial problems of her apartment. The numerous problems would keep her preoccupied for years and hopefully serve as an excuse to avoid any sort of actual romantic relationship that involved the conniving ways of a certain fox and weasel. She blew her bangs out of her face in frustration as she stepped with practiced care over the uneven floorboard that had indeed whacked her in the nose on more than one occasion when she had misstepped its odd leveling. She could still remember her last conversation with Megumi and Misao when they had deigned to step foot in her chilly and slightly moldy apartment.

"_If you had a man you know all this stuff would be fixed by now."_

"_I'm fixing it just as quickly as any working man would be able to fix it."_

"_But think of the eye candy! Can't you just see a guy wandering around in a paint-stained undershirt with all his muscles rippling and nice tight jeans and…"_

"_Enough! My life is not some tawdry romance novel so keep your dirty fantasies to yourself."_

"_Kaoru, surely you can at least admit that fixing this place up would be easier with a boyfriend to help."_

"_Yes, it would…if I were willing to put up with the beer cans, dirty laundry, and unwarranted crude comments that would also come with him."_

"_You know, not all men are not like Enishi."_

"_Same chromosomes, different face."_

"_How did you get to be so pessimistic."_

"_You, Megumi. That's how."_

"_Ah…"_

That had soundly ended that conversation and Megumi and Misao had escaped her apartment shortly after. They each claimed an urgent appointment they had forgotten, but she had a feeling that a good deal of their haste had been due to the squeaking of a mouse in one of the walls. Personally, she found the little mouse cute and had named him Yahiko after her younger brother.

However, there were some things Kaoru could not fix legally or without fear of death. Thus, she'd asked her superintendent for the number of the maintenance man. After grudging comments about uppity college people and their needs, the older woman had handed over a chicken scratch phone number. The maintenance man was due any moment to work on the shower and bathroom sink.

Just as she set down the paint she'd bought for her outer "living room" a knock sounded at the door. Kaoru grinned slightly and turned back to the door, peering out the peephole even though she knew thoroughly that she would not be able to see a darn thing. Just another thing on her to-do list. She opened the door and promptly forgot to make any form of polite conversation as she stepped to the side.

A young man stood on the other side of the door, a wide grin on his face. He held a red toolbox in one hand, but the color of the box was nothing in comparison to the cascade of red hair that fell down his back in a full and somewhat unkempt ponytail. Several wisps of hair escaped into his face and framed his fine cheekbones. Her eyes followed the natural course along his slightly golden skin and caught on a sharp cross-shaped scar on his left cheek before continuing on to his astoundingly indigo eyes.

"Good day, miss. I believe you called for the maintenance man."

"I…uh…well…yes…I mean, yes I did."

"Himura Kenshin at your service. You said your pipes need working on, correct?"

"That's…correct."

"Excellent." He walked in and Kaoru attempted to make her face into something more presentable than that of a fish's. Her eyes traveled down his defined back to his narrow waist and hips, noting that he wore paint-spattered jeans that fit in such a way that she wondered how he got circulation to his legs. And then her feet fell to his steps and exactly where they were leading him, most notably the uppity board in his path. She opened her mouth to warn him and could almost hear the well-placed laughter of a sitcom audience in the background as he stepped on the board and it flew up to meet his perfectly straight and rather handsome nose. _I did _not _just think of this guy's nose as handsome!_ She watched with odd fascination as the man stumbled backwards and his toolbox clattered open across the floor, spilling all manner of dangerous looking shiny metal objects. Her limbs moved of their own volition as she found herself kneeling beside him.

"Are you ok? I forgot to warn you about the board. I'm so sorry."

She was surprised when he flashed the same huge grin at her that he'd been wearing at her doorstep. "No worries, miss. I'll fix that too while I'm here."

"Oh that's…I mean I'm perfectly capable of…"

"Not a problem, miss. That's what I'm here for."

They each paused awkwardly in their respective positions: Kaoru kneeling with a blush across her cheekbones and Kenshin flat on his ass with a red mark fading from his nose and a wide grin on his face. "Uh…oh, forgive me. I'm so rude. I'm Kamiya Kaoru. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Himura-san."

"Please, just Kenshin. Himura-san makes me feel old."

"Oh…alright, Kenshin. The pipes that need fixing are in the room right through that door behind the bamboo divider."

Kenshin nodded as Kaoru stood and began gathering all of Kenshin's tools from the floor. She hesitated when she returned them to the box. If he was anything like the other men in her life she knew he would not want her rearranging anything in something as sacred and unfeminine as a toolbox. "Just put those anywhere they fit, Kamiya-dono. It's not too hard to find what I need."

Kaoru frowned as she deposited the tools, glancing over at him as he gathered more random bits of metal from the floor. "If I must call you by your first name Kenshin, I insist you call me by mine. After all, I'm hardly younger than you." Kenshin glanced up with wide eyes and a befuddled expression before smiling at her again in that grin she was quickly learning she wanted to wipe from his face. "Very well, Kaoru-dono, but I'll have you know I'm nearly twenty-nine."

Again Kaoru assumed the identity of a clueless salmon as her mouth opened and closed. "_Twenty-nine?"_ she finally managed to squeal as he picked up the toolbox and moved towards the room that acted as both her bedroom and bathroom.

"Nearly twenty-nine," he mumbled as a blush ran across his cheeks.

"And how exactly are you maintaining that face of yours? Botox?"

He chuckled good-naturedly before turning back to the matter at hand. "Hardly, Kaoru-dono. Hardly." Kaoru watched as he disappeared into the second room and tried to suspend her disbelief. Rather than try to work her brain around such thoughts, she placed a kettle on her meager stove and set it to boil. One mystified eye still on her other room, Kaoru began unloading the paint she'd brought home with her. When that task was done, she turned to bag and removed her homework for the night. Living off-campus was liberating, but at the same time she despised the commute and the inability to easily access materials she needed after she was finished with her classes. Just as the water began boiling Kenshin emerged.

"You're going to need new pipes for your sink but your shower just needed a little cleaning out. It shouldn't leak now. I'll purchase the pipes tonight and install them tomorrow. I'll just glue down that floorboard and be on my way."

"How much exactly is this going to cost me?"

"Nothing at all, Kaoru-dono. All repair costs are covered by your rent."

"All?"

He nodded as he knelt on the floor next to the offending board and extracted wood glue from somewhere in the bowels of his toolbox.

"If you don't mind me asking…how exactly are you…"

"The maintenance man?" he finished for her.

"Well, yeah. Forgive me, but you don't fit my typical vision of the overweight, middle-aged man who really needs to learn the value of a belt."

He laughed quietly at that before looking up at her. "The pay is exactly what I need and I enjoy fixing things. There's not much more to it than that."

_A kindred spirit_ the little part of her mind that she usually tried to ignore whispered to her. _Not to mention he's quite nice to look at._

_No! _argued her sensible side. _We already determined that I will remain relationship free until I'm finished with college and possibly beyond. Maybe by then I can find a man who appreciates an independent, educated woman._

Kenshin stood from the floor and glanced around the apartment before lifting a chair and strategically placing two of its legs on the wayward floorboard. "That's a quick fix, I know, but at least it won't hit people in the face anymore, ne?"

Kaoru couldn't help but laugh as she finished pouring out the two cups of tea she'd been preparing as he worked. Good manners dictated she at least invite him to have a cup before he wandered off for the night. "Tea?" she asked, holding up one cup invitingly.

"Thank you, but no. I'm afraid your neighbor Dr. Gensai needs some electricity rewired. Perhaps tomorrow?"

"Perhaps," she murmured as he gathered up his things.

"Leave the chair on the floorboard overnight. The glue should be dry by morning."

"Thanks, Kenshin."

"Not a problem, Kaoru-dono. Will tomorrow the same time work for you?"

"Yes. That would be wonderful."

"Until tomorrow then."

oOoOoOoOo

Kenshin whistled merrily as he made his way up the three flights of stairs to Kaoru's apartment. A set of new pipes swung in a plastic bag at his side while his toolbox rested easily in his other hand. He smiled slightly as he approached her door, his mind running through the previous day's visit. He remembered her blue eyes and how easily they had sparked to life, the fall of silken hair that swung from her ponytail and teasingly brushed her backside. Her smile had seemed so genuine and her manner so frank, something he had not seen in a woman in a long time.

He reached her door and knocked, eyeing the peeling wallpaper of the hallway as he waited. Just another thing to fix eventually. It was a moment before Kaoru opened the door. The scent of paint fumes hit him hard as the door fully opened and he took a moment to blink at her appearance. She was wearing an old t-shirt that declared "I went to Middle-Earth and all I got was this crummy Ring" as well as a ratted pair of jeans. Several holes were visible in her shirt and immediately made his mind jump to less than proper thoughts. Paint spattered across her skin and clothing did not help the situation as he imagined exactly how he might go about removing the paint and the activities that would follow afterwards.

"Hello, Kenshin," she greeted as she stepped aside to allow him to enter.

"Painting I see," he murmured as he took in her walls in their partial state of powder blue. All her windows were wide open to help with the fumes and he couldn't help but note that one of them opened crookedly. _I'll have to fix that_.

"I have a four-day weekend so it seemed like a good idea."

"I could help you after I finish with the sink."

"Thanks for the offer but I think I can manage on my own."

"Nonsense. I'd love to help you and I don't have any other apartments to visit today."

He could see her eyes narrow as he stepped past her, intent on the second room.

"I would insist on paying you."

"I told you, all my services and repair expenses are included in your rent."

"This isn't repair. This is redecoration. There's a difference."

He turned and faced her, his eyes tracing the set line of her jaw and the stubborn lines of her lips before traveling to her defiant eyes. _I could get used to this,_ he though to himself, enjoying the banter between them.

"Treat me to dinner then. I'd say that's a fair trade." He let a bit of his own stubborn attitude slip into his voice and eyes as he spoke. They faced each other for a moment with a silent tug of war before Kaoru sighed.

"Alright, but it will be takeout of some form. I can't cook anything more complicated than…well, tea."

He chuckled slightly as he turned again towards her other room. "That sounds fine. I was looking forward to leftovers at home so I'm not about to complain."

Kenshin set about his work quickly, eager to make his way back out to her living room and speak more with her. It was rare he encountered a woman he would consider dating. A few too many betrayals earlier in his life had given him a certain reticence where women were involved. Just as he finished installing the pipes though, an idea came to him. Slowly he stood and glanced around the room looking for something that might suit his purpose. A slow predatory grin crossed his face as he found it.

A few moments later, Kenshin emerged from the second room whistling once again. Kaoru had finished almost all of her second wall and she glanced over her shoulder at him as he set down his toolbox and withdrew a paint roller from its depths. _How does he even fit all those things in there?_ she wondered as she exchanged a smile with him.

Kenshin approached a moment later without a word and dipped his roller into the paint, choosing a section of the wall near enough to maintain conversation but still far enough from Kaoru that they wouldn't be running over each other. "So were you always the maintenance man or did you do something else before this?"

He frowned at her question and then was quickly grateful she couldn't see the frown. "I…did some government work." The tone of his voice was quiet and firm, stating there would be no greater answer than that. "What are you currently doing?" he asked after a moment in a much lighter tenor.

"I'm a student, but I work on campus right now in literature recovery lab."

"Literature recovery?"

"We transcribe, preserve, and restore ancient texts. We just got our hands on one of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It's only on loan to us and we have to return it, but the opportunity to even see it is astounding."

"Sounds very interesting."

"Maybe if you enjoy esoteric literature. I don't know if the average person would appreciate it. All my friends tell me I'm wasting my time with the dusty old books."

"I wouldn't say that. Books are an important part of history. They give us glimpses of our ancestors and traditions."

"That's exactly what I tell them! They just won't…" she trailed off as a blush rose on her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm gushing."

"Not at all," he said as he turned to give her a smile. "I find it all quite interesting."

"Don't pretend you actually care about this stuff. Just tell me if you don't want to hear about it."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

Kaoru turned to look him in the eyes and saw genuine confusion. "You actually…want to here about this stuff?"

"Of course I do. I have a long held fascination with _The Tale of Genji_. Who better to talk with about it than a student of ancient texts?"

"You…I mean…" Kaoru blinked, slightly dumbfounded. She'd never met a young man who shared her interest in historical text. Not one of her professors was a day under fifty and the student sect in her line of study numbered approximately no one except herself…or at least that's what it seemed like.

"If you'd like I can begin rambling until you figure out a way to jump in and stop me. Or we can talk about Greek mythology. That's always fascinating to speak about. Perhaps you enjoy folk tales from Europe?"

"You're actually serious," she murmured, more to herself than him.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh…it's just…"

Kenshin looked at her expectantly as she turned away and began painting again. "I…I dated this guy once who would pretend to be interested in my conversation, but the moment I finished speaking he'd jump to some other subject as though I hadn't even spoken. Unhealthy subjects too, like…"

Kenshin almost prodded her to finish her sentence but decided to let it go. He didn't want to bring up what were obviously bad memories. He turned back to the wall and began painting. He allowed five minutes of silence to pass before trying at conversation again.

"What brought you to this particular apartment complex?"

"Oh, my salary mostly. This was the closest thing to campus that I could afford and I was sick of putting up with dorm life."

"Restoring ancient literature doesn't pay well?"

"Only if you're internationally recognized. Which I'm not. The anthropology fields aren't exactly known for their high salaries."

"What got you into it?"

"When I was twelve I found an old scroll in our attic. It was so old I didn't know some of the writing characters and other parts of it had been eaten away by mice or time or whatever. I worked on understanding the stupid thing and substituting the missing words for almost a month. After that I was hooked."

"Interesting thing to choose to do for a living."

"Oh, restoration's something I do for myself. I'm actually training to be a teacher."

Kenshin blinked slightly. He could not recall ever having met someone who would do something so…professional for fun. He was distracted from his thoughts as Kaoru moved around him and began on the other end of the wall he was painting. He watched her appreciatively out of the corner of his eye, quietly thanking whatever deity was looking down on him every time her shirt lifted enough to expose a smooth glimpse of her tummy.

They finished painting the room in relative quiet, broken only by light conversation. Kaoru quietly set her roller in the paint pan and admired their work. "It looks pretty nice if I do say so myself." Kenshin nodded, though his eyes weren't really on the walls.

Kaoru stayed a moment in the warmth of accomplishment before turning to him. "So, what would you like for supper?"

"Whatever you order will be fine."

"Pizza it is."

He smiled at her bounce as she turned to her phone. Certainly this young woman was turning out to be a mystery in and of herself. He rather enjoyed mysteries. Kaoru finished up the order and turned back to him, her eyes sparkling just ever so slightly. "Now, to clean up the mess."

He grinned slightly and began lifting tarps from the floor. Kaoru removed the painter's tape from the walls and extracted a fan from her room to speed the drying process. Just as Kenshin was washing the last of the paint from the paint roller a knock sounded on the door. Kaoru rushed in front of him, check in hand, and took the pizza from the young delivery boy.

"Dinner is served," she said with a flourish as she set the pizza box on her low coffee table and dug paper plates from her cupboard.

They managed to finish off almost half the pizza between rather amusing conversations. Kaoru shared horror stories about dorm life and Kenshin revealed certain amusing pieces of history behind the building she was living in. He rose from the floor at about 8:00 to head home.

Kaoru stood also and trailed him to the door. "Thank you for all your help, Kenshin. I really wish you'd let me pay you something though."

"It was a pleasure Kaoru and I'm going to insist you allow payment to be dinner and the pleasure of your company."

She smiled prettily and Kenshin decided to act on a thought he'd been considered ever since he noticed the paint splotched on her face. "You missed a spot of paint here when you were cleaning up," he murmured, allowing his fingers to touch her cheekbone before traveling down to her jaw line. His thumb rested teasingly close to her lips. Kaoru's smile lessened as his sudden and rather intimate gesture startled her.

While she stood frozen, he moved ever so slightly forward and brushed his lips against her forehead and then her lips. "Until tomorrow, Kaoru."

He gathered up his toolbox and stepped out before Kaoru could even gather up the coherency to blink. "He just…and I just…" Her eyes narrowed as she frowned. "Jerk," she hissed as she turned to try out her newly fixed sink. After all, she needed to wash the paint from her face, as well as the electric feeling he'd left in her skin.

OOoOoOoOo

Kaoru was fully prepared the next afternoon when a knock sounded on her door. She stormed to the door and glared at it in hope that it would spontaneously combust and take the person on the other side with it. Instead, she called out sweetly, "Who is it?"

"It's Kenshin, Kaoru-dono. I've come to fix your window."

Kaoru glanced behind her to the offending crooked window. "That won't be necessary. I've fixed it already."

On the other side of the door, Kenshin frowned slightly. "Then perhaps I can check your sink and shower to make sure they're still working properly."

Kaoru grit her teeth at his persistence before calling out in a sickeningly sweet voice, "They're working just fine thanks. Please, I'm sure you're very busy."

"Not at all. You're my last stop of the day. I insist."

"If I'm your last stop than surely you'd like to go back home and curl up with your supper."

"I actually hoping you would join me for supper."

Kaoru's jaw dropped before it snapped shut again with anger. "Ooooh…that's it!"

Kaoru yanked her door open and stomped forward to block Kenshin's way in. "Listen you….you…you! I don't like high-handed men. I don't like being treated like I'll willingly fall into bed with the first reasonably good-looking man to come along. And I really don't like you," _much, _"so you can just go home and leave me the hell alone! Got it?"

Kenshin blinked at her tirade and carefully backed a few feet away because she looked mad enough to start taking swings. "Now, can't we just talk…"

"NO! We cannot talk. In fact, I really don't think I want any sort of interaction with you at all. So I'm gonna go in my apartment now and lock the door. You are going to get away from my door and go home or I will call my overly-caffienated, extremely protective friends to get rid of you."

With that, Kaoru stormed back into her apartment and slammed the door shut, locking it behind her with violent twists as she waited for the tumblers to catch.

Kenshin stood in the hallway giving the impression of a deer in headlights. "O…oro?" he squeaked. Slowly he turned and began walking down the hallway, blinking slightly. He had not quite been expecting that reaction. No…not really expecting that reaction at all. _Maybe I'll go to the bar tonight. Sano is probably willing to cut me a break while I think this over._

oOoOoOoOo

Kaoru swung the door open to admit her two best friends and gave silent thanks as she saw they were bearing Mexican food and chocolate. "You guys are the best. I can't thank you enough."

Megumi glanced around the room, which now seemed cleaner, brighter, and bigger with its new coat of paint. "Much nicer, I have to say. Good color too."

"Thanks. Make yourselves at home. I rented _The Princess Bride, Ten Things I Hate About You, _and _Pirates of the Caribbean._ That should keep us occupied until the wee hours of the morning."

"Which _Pirates_?" Misao asked as she shoved the couch out of the way and started laying down blankets.

"The first one. I thought we could do like old times and see if we can still quote the entire movie verbatim."

"Oh, I know I can," Megumi said in a bored tone. "I swear, Sano watches that movie every chance he gets. One would think he'd get tired of the jibes I give him about liking pretty pirates, but he doesn't seem to mind too much."

"So why _Ten Things I Hate About You_? If I recall you once told me that no girl as bitter and independent as Katerina Stratford would ever deign to take back a guy who was paid to date her, and therefore the entire premise of the movie was shot to hell."

"I need to watch a flick where the girl can kick the guy's butt if she so chooses. Therefore we will be watching that movie first, followed by _Pirates,_ and then _Princess Bride_ if we're not too tired."

"Oooh, someone's bitter about men. Is there a particular reason for this or are you just renewing your man-hating vows."

Kaoru almost opened her mouth to tell them about the infuriating redhead that had presumed to affront her, but stopped at the last moment. Megumi, however, had known Kaoru too long to let her get away with her story.

"You're blushing, Kaoru," she pointed out with a smirk. Naturally, the statement of the fact only made Kaoru turn redder than she already was.

"There's nothing to tell," she muttered as she turned to grab paper plates.

Misao perked up at the possibility of gossip and quickly began to work on ways of getting Kaoru to talk. "If you'd like, I'll start singing "The Song that Doesn't End." Or maybe "The Song That gets on Everybody's Nerves." Oooh, I know. I could tell Megumi about the time you bought a box of condoms."

Kaoru squeaked as Megumi began laughing rather more loudly than was really necessary. When push came to shove, Misao was perhaps the master of manipulation. "Or I could talk about…"

"Enough! I'll tell you guys if you would just not. Talk. About. That."

Misao clapped her hands like a kid at Christmas before opening one box of the truffles she and Megumi had hauled with them. "Do tell," she said conspiratorially as she popped one into her mouth.

"There's this guy…"

"There's a guy!" Misao shouted. "Finally!"

Kaoru turned to glare as she whipped around with plates in hand and a large bottle of rootbeer. "Not like that! He's the maintenance man in the building."

Misao visibly wilted while Megumi's lips thinned.

"I called him to fix my pipes in my shower and sink in the other room. He had to get a second set of pipes for the sink and so came back yesterday. He offered to help me paint while he was up and I insisted on treating him to dinner since he wouldn't let me pay him."

"Sounds like a winner already," Megumi intoned, picking up a slice of pizza.

"He seemed like it right up until he kissed me at the door."

The two women facing her each blinked slightly. "And this was a bad thing?" Misao asked slowly.

"Oooh…yes, it was a bad thing. We weren't on a date or in a date-like atmosphere. He just proceeded to lean over and kiss me without even considering whether or not I wanted to be kissed."

"Was he a good kisser?"

"Gah! This was why I didn't want to talk to you guys about this. He was so…presumptuous. I can't stand it when men do things like that. 'Oh, look at me. I'm attractive and wear my jeans way too tight so surely you want to sleep with me.'"

"He's attractive?"

"That's it. No more talking about it. I am going to watch my man-hating movie and you two are going to be quiet until you can think of some topic other than my love life."

"But you don't have a love life so we're not technically talking about your love life."

"You may not talk about my lack of a love life, either."

"Just one question," Megumi said suddenly.

Kaoru narrowed her eyes at the older woman before nodding slightly. "One and only one and then there will not be one more word spoken the rest of the night."

"What did he look like?"

Kaoru sighed before forming a mental picture in her mind, something she'd done more often than she'd care to admit. "He has long red hair and he wears it in a ponytail. Handsome almost-pretty-but-not-quite face. Short, thin, and looks like he studies martial arts. Violet eyes that look funny in the right light. We are now finished with this conversation. Oh, look, Kat kicked the balls off some guy. Literally. Go Kat!" In her effort to change the subject, Kaoru did not even notice the devious smirk that crossed Megumi's face.

"But they don't actually show that part."

"It's the thought that counts."

oOoOoOoOo

"So you're saying she was pissed off for no apparent reason?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying."

"But you said…"

"Sano, when you learn this fact of life, your relationship with Megumi will be so much better for it. Women are always right. Even when they're wrong they're right. Therefore, whatever I did was my fault, and I should have done something differently."

"But how can you know you did something wrong if you don't know the rules?"

"That's what your eyes and ears are for. Most women aren't exactly blunt about what they do and don't want you to do. They want you to figure it out on your own and prove that you care enough about them to be worthy of their time."

"But if you screw up, you're…well, you're screwed."

"No, that's why God created forgiveness."

"I still don't understand."

"And that's why you still haven't managed to stay the night at Megumi's yet."

"I'm getting there."

Kenshin made a noncommittal sound and turned his eyes on the crowd, studying them with sharp eyes. He could recognize tell-tale movements of those of the underground networks, permitted to come here so long as they maintained neutrality. Sano may've owned the bar, but his real business came in the ways of information. For the right price, politicians could be destroyed here with just one piece of reliable information. It was how he'd first met Sano. When he'd started out in his previous work, this had been one of the best hubs for information for any government agent in the city. Sano had taken a liking to the redhead and they'd formed a friendship that had lasted beyond Kenshin's government days.

"What did you say this woman's name was?"

"Kaoru. Kaoru…something."

Sano frowned. Kaoru, the Kaoru he'd known since the early age of seventeen, had just recently moved into an apartment, but the chances of Kenshin and her meeting, living in the same building…

But then, Megumi had helped Kaoru pick out the building. It would only make sense that Megumi's best interest would be to place Kaoru in as safe an environment as the younger girl's meager budget could afford. Maybe…

"Was her last name Kamiya by chance?"

Kenshin glanced up with eyes a bit more steely than usual. "How did you know that?"

"I have a friend named Kaoru and she just moved into an apartment. Megumi helped her pick out the place. If Megumi steered her towards your building I wouldn't be surprised. She has a tendency to worry for Kaoru's safety in the part of town she's in now."

"So you're saying you know her?"

"I do."

"Tell me everything you can."

oOoOoOoOo

Kaoru woke late Sunday morning and found a note from Megumi and Misao. The two had already taken off for the day because Megumi got called into the clinic on short notice. Shrugging, Kaoru shuffled behind her screen to take her shower. After she was finished washing and waking up, she retreated to the mirror and plugged in her hair dryer. The moment the dryer was on, the vanity lights over the mirror flickered and went out and the whine of the dryer faded away.

"Great. Just great."

Kaoru glanced around the room. Her bedside clock was off and the little light plugged into her other wall outlet was also out. "Damn it," she whispered under her breath.

Pulling her hair into a tail straight from its wet state, she dressed in day-old jeans and a baby blue t-shirt with the faded message of "I think therefore I'm single." Pulling down her phone, she punched the numbers for her superintendent into the phone.

The crotchety old woman picked up the phone on the third ring.

"What is it?" the grating voice snapped.

"It's Kamiya Kaoru from apartment 406. I was wondering who I contact about electrical problems."

"I already gave you his number."

"You did?"

"This building only has one maintenance man. I recommend you call him before he's full up for tomorrow."

Kaoru slowly hung up the phone, hating the way anger set her ears on fire. "Shit, shit, shit."

oOoOoOoOo

Kaoru opened the door with a glare in her eyes, sorely wishing she could find a way to survive without electricity in her bedroom until she could afford a different place. Kenshin was on the other side of the door, his eyes downcast sheepishly. Slowly he looked up at her stormy figure, her arms crossed and toe tapping.

"Good day, Kaoru-dono."

She glared a moment longer before giving a clipped, "Hi."

"I…I wanted to apologize for the other day. I was incredibly forward and I should have had more courtesy and consideration for you. I…I'm afraid I read your signals the wrong way. I'm very sorry for everything and hope that perhaps…we could start over..?"

Kaoru raised her eyebrow, her face remaining stony. She stepped to the side of the door. "Go fix my electricity."

Kenshin entered feeling even more foolish than he had yesterday. Still, his eyes couldn't help but note her still crooked window. "I can fix the window for you as well, Kaoru-dono."

"Electricity," she growled. Kenshin jumped slightly at her tone and quickly scurried away.

oOoOoOoOo

Kaoru sat stiffly in her living room attempting to read her latest textbook assignment without ripping a page out each time she turned one. She could hear the occasional thumping from her bedroom, but other than that she hadn't seen hide nor hair of the maintenance man since he'd disappeared in there an hour ago. It was making her nervous.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when Kenshin's voice sounded behind her. "I'm finished, Kaoru-dono. Everything should be in working order now."

"Good. Leave."

Kenshin ignored her command, standing in the threshold of her bedroom door watching her. "Is there nothing I can do to make amends?"

Kaoru looked over her shoulder at him, her gaze sharp and cold. "You really think you can do something to make up for the inborn male gene that requires you all to be assholes?"

Kenshin almost opened his mouth to defend the male half of the population but thought better of it. "Yes. You need only tell me what."

Kaoru turned on the couch to look him square in the eye. Her gaze was calculating, and a simmering anger burned just beneath the surface. "Let my friends take you out for a night and I'll consider letting you off the hook."

Kenshin raised a brow, but nodded slightly. "I think I can do that."

"Sure you do," she answered, her smile growing devilish as she turned back to her book. "Come back at 7:00 sharp. They'll get you from here."

Kenshin stood a moment longer, tempted to ask if there was anything she needed.

"Leave, Himura!"

Kenshin jumped and immediately starting scuttling towards the door. "Yes, ma'am."

oOoOoOoOo

"Misao. Hi."

"Kaoru. What's up?"

"You remember the redheaded asshole I told you about?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I'm letting you, Megumi, and Sano play with him for a whole night. If he survives, I told him I'd forget about what he did."

"By play you mean…?"

"Do horrible, unspeakable things to him that ensure that he will never darken my doorstep again, even if I need him to fix something."

"Ooooooh! I love this game. Can I bring Aoshi-sama too?"

"If you think it will help."

"This is gonna be fun!"

oOoOoOoOo

"Alright, guys. Thanks so much for doing this. Remember, I'm trusting you to scare the holy hell out of him."

"Don't you think you're being a bit harsh, Jou-chan?"

"Are you kidding me? I think I'm being lenient. Harsh would be throwing him out the window myself…repeatedly…after dropping several sharp objects out the window before him."

"You know Jou-chan, one asshole shouldn't make the entire male species the enemy."

"It was more than one asshole. It was a series of assholes. And then of course I have you as a shining example of the male side of the species as well as all your drunken, perverted, gambling friends. In fact, Aoshi is quite possibly the only real gentleman I've ever met so of course he is already taken, not that I would consider dating someone nearly a foot taller than me anyway…no offense Aoshi."

"None taken."

"What about me," Misao added, "I take offense. He's _more _than a foot taller than me."

"I'm sure it has certain advantages," Kaoru added flippantly as a knock sounded on the door.

Kaoru's smirk widened into a smile icy enough to make even Aoshi shiver as she turned to the door.

"Good evening, Kenshin," she clipped, ushering him into the apartment. He gulped slightly at the terrifying look on her face and turned to see what he was up against. He knew Sano and Megumi were among her arsenal, thanks to a tip from Sano earlier in the day. The other two friends she'd called upon, however, were new to him and he'd been told by Sano that they were far more devious and dangerous than Megumi and himself.

Kenshin bowed formally to them and quietly murmured greetings. Only Sano returned the greeting, his face sheepish as he tried to hide their familiarity from Kaoru.

"Alright," Kaoru said, clapping her hands together and rubbing them in a decidedly mad-scientist-like manner. "Kenshin, everyone. Everyone, Kenshin. Now get out of my apartment so I may enjoy my weekend in peace."

Misao grinned widely and skipped forward to grab Kenshin by the arm. "So, Himura-san. Kaoru tells me you like to make moves on women when said women aren't exactly consenting to said moves."

Kenshin gulped, his eyes widening as he was dragged out of the apartment by the fully charged weasel. The rest of Kaoru's friends trailed behind, Megumi smirking, Sano glancing worriedly at Kaoru, and Aoshi as stoic as always.

"Remember," Kaoru remarked as they left, "give him hell."

oOoOoOoOo

"Let me get this straight. You already know him?"

"Sano has known him for years. I met him when Sano and I started dating."

Misao raised a quizzical brow at Megumi as she eyed the redhead suspiciously. "And you actually intended for he and Kaoru to meet and make a connection."

"That's what I was hoping, yes."

Misao's gaze turned more calculating and Kenshin tried to appear as genteel and kind as humanly possible. The five of them were gathered around a table at a local dive that served badly made American food. Misao had had the intent of at least giving the redhead food poisoning before Megumi had put her foot down.

"And what makes you think he would be right for Kaoru?" Misao asked, keeping her eyes locked on Kenshin.

"Believe it or not, Ken-san knows how to be a gentleman when he's not thinking with his secondary brain. He can also protect Kaoru quite well, not just from the physical dangers of the world, but the emotional dangers too. The kind she suffered under Enishi before she took up for herself."

"Sano? Anything to add?"

"Uh…I guess I think he and Kaoru would get along really well. They both appreciate intelligence, have experience in the martial arts, and I kind of think they suit each other. Kenshin needs what Kaoru's got and vice versa."

"By needs you mean…?"

"Well, Kaoru needs someone who will take care of her for a change and someone who's stubborn enough to match her in a battle of wills. She needs someone who will genuinely listen to what she has to say. And Kenshin…Kenshin needs someone who will make him happy, make him laugh. He needs someone he can protect, but not someone who always needs protecting. I guess I just always thought they'd fit together really well."

Megumi blinked at Sano while Misao analyzed his information. "What?" he asked sheepishly as his girlfriend continued to stare.

"I just…I didn't know you could…see that much in them…"

"Give me a little credit, Megumi. I'm not all fists."

Misao cleared her throat to regain their attention.

"And why do you think you would be good for Kaoru?"

"I…she…she seems lonely. And she also seems like she has some emotional wounds that need healing. I would like…I mean, I like to….I mean…" He stopped, flustered. He barely knew Kaoru, save for the fact that she hated forward men, disliked being coddled, insisted on fairness, and was incredibly intelligent. Not to mention the fact that he was hugely attracted to her, but that wasn't the right thing to say at all. He took a deep breath and began again.

"Kaoru seems like an intelligent, strong-willed, independent, kind woman. She's the kind of woman I would like to support, to take care of, to laugh with, maybe to cry with, maybe to just be there for. I want to take care of her."

Misao looked over to Aoshi, who was better than she at reading people's intentions. He gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod before speaking. "He will do."

oOoOoOoOo

"So how're we gonna work this? We have to make it seem like we scared the crap out of Kenshin but think he's a decent guy."

"Or we could uncomplicate it a little and just say he's a decent guy."

"Oh for God's sake! This is not rocket science. Hand me the cell phone."

Misao blinked slightly as Sano shrank back. Megumi took the cell phone from his slightly limp hand and dialed Kaoru's number. The answer was almost immediate.

"Sano? How'd it go?"

"Megumi, dear. It went fine."

"You would make my night if you told me Misao made him cry."

"Unfortunately no, though I would have enjoyed that sight a great deal."

"He won't be bothering me again, right?"

Megumi paused, considering her next move carefully. "Well, that's not exactly the case, Kaoru."

She could almost picture the twitch starting in Kaoru's eye at her words. "_What?_"

"Well, based on your conditions, you've technically forgiven him since he survived dinner with us. He's a very stubborn man, Kaoru. I get the feeling you haven't seen the last of him."

"But you guys promised me he wouldn't come near me with a ten-foot pole after you were through with him."

"Now, now, Kaoru. It doesn't do to whine. Honestly, he seems like a nice man. Maybe you should give him a second chance. Maybe let him…I don't know, take you out on a date or something?"

The line was silent for a few seconds and Megumi silently began counting down to meltdown.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I sent you off to scare the shit out of that conniving redhead, and instead you double-cross me and start playing matchmaker! How many times have I told you not to do this, Megumi! I'm going to gouge your favorite pantsuit to pieces and cover it in ketchup! I'm going to cut all the wires on Sano's entertainment system in such small pieces no one will even know they were wires! I'll confiscate all of Misao's caffeine rations for the next three months! And Aoshi…I'll…I'll…I'll think of something!"

"Are you finished?" Meguim asked boredly as Kaoru stopped to gather breath for the next round of threats.

"NO, I…."

"Well, that's too bad because I am. You need to come to terms with the fact that not all men are walking scum sooner or later, and it might as well be sooner with a guy who your friends have at least pre-screened. Now, think on that for the night and I'll call you tomorrow. Night, Kaoru."

And with that, Megumi flipped the phone shut. The friends around her eyed her wearily, having heard Kaoru's exact list of threats quite clearly even though the phone hadn't been on speaker. After a moment, Sano moved forward a little.

"You wouldn't really let her cut up my baby would you, Megumi?"

"Depends what I get out of it."

"Megumiiii…"

Megumi chuckled gently and looped her arm through Sano's. "Come on, Tori-atama. Let's go home."

Sano opened his mouth to start whining again before stopping mid-breath. "Wait…home…as in…together?"

"I said 'let's' as in 'let us' as in plural, did I not? Unless you'd prefer to go back to your place alone?" Megumi's smile curled deviously as Sano's eyes grew wider and wider.

"You…and I…I mean…you're…FINALLY!"

"Don't push your luck, Tori-atama."

Misao, Aoshi, and Kenshin watched the couple disappear towards the general direction of Sano's car. "I will never understand those two," Misao said after a moment, quirking an eyebrow at one of the oddest couples she'd ever seen.

"I believe I'll take my leave also. Goodnight, you two."

Kenshin walked off towards his own small, sensible car and Misao followed him with an inquisitive gaze.

"You think we did the right thing, Aoshi-sama?"

"I think he will be good for her, Misao. Let's go home."

oOoOoOoOo

Kaoru spent the rest of the weekend in a cranky mood and remained in it into the week. She had an eight o' clock class on Mondays, which was bad enough, but now she also had to contemplate the fact that a highly annoying redhead might be waiting for her when she got home for the day.

She took a brief shower, which became even briefer when she realized she had no hot water. "Damned, crappy plumbing and damned, evil redheads and damned, horrible mornings."

Kaoru skipped out of her shower feeling very much awake and very much prepared to rip _something_ to shreds, though what that something might be she was not quite sure. She fixed herself a cup of tea, thankful that at least her stove was working well enough to heat a pot of water. After she finished her tea, she whisked out her door, putting on a face that was at least somewhat more gracious.

Kenshin watched her go from around the corner, studying her determined gate and slightly stormy expression as she locked the door and jiggled the handle repeatedly to get the lock to work properly. Just another thing for him to fix, and he quickly added it to what was becoming an impressive list for the occupant of apartment 406. After he was sure she was gone, he approached her door and quietly taped a tiger lily to it, lightly attaching a note just beneath the bloom. There was a good chance the flower would be gone before Kaoru returned, but he could hope.

Quietly, he turned and traveled down the stairs, turning his mind to his tasks for the day, the first of which would be to turn the hot water in the building back on.

oOoOoOoOo

Kaoru pounded back up her apartment stairs, swearing a blue streak along the wall as she went. "Just forget all your textbooks for the day, Kaoru. That's just great. Who needs freakin' textbooks anyway? I'll just memorize the damn things and be done with it." She ran down the hall to her apartment and was caught short by a strange sight on her door.

Slowly, Kaoru pulled down the lily and raised her eyebrow at it. The note flapped against her wrist and she flipped it open to read.

_Kaoru,_

_Perhaps we might call a truce? Dinner on me if you're willing. Cell number is 555-8624._

_Kenshin_

Kaoru studied the note intensely, as though hoping her gaze alone would burst it into flames. She glanced back at the flower before looking back down at the note. At least he hadn't made the mistake of getting her roses. Briefly she warred with herself before tucking the note in her pocket and reaching for her key to undo the lock. She had classes to get to.

oOoOoOoOo

"I can't believe I'm here."

"Isn't the food at least good?"

"I can't believe you talked me into this."

"Surely my company's not that bad."

"I hate you."

Kenshin struggled to hide his bemusement as Kaoru pouted on the other side of the table. He'd probably been just as surprised as she was when she called him and gave him a restaurant name and a time before abruptly hanging up.

"I might point out that you called me, and I didn't really talk you into anything at all."

Her face turned a brilliant shade of angry crimson. "You are insufferable."

"So I've been told."

Kaoru stabbed at her fettuccini while she glared at the redhead across the table. Kenshin smirked into his ravioli as he took a sip of wine. Kaoru seemed determined not to have a good time, but part of him was wondering if she enjoyed berating him. Silence was his main companion at the table for a few minutes as Kaoru determinedly destroyed her food before eating it in a rather vindictive manner.

"So is there anything in your apartment that needs fixing or will you never call me to have anything fixed ever again?"

"There was no hot water this morning."

"I took care of that already. Sometimes the water heater just needs a good smack with a wrench."

She stared at him incredulously while drumming her fingers on the table.

"Hey, I was kidding."

Kaoru's lips pulled together tightly and she looked pointedly in the other direction. "You told me you'd forgive me if I survived a night with your friends. I survived. Couldn't you just call a truce for a while?"

"Give me one good reason," Kaoru growled.

"I'm not a bad person, Kaoru. I'm just very bad a reading people's signals, especially when they won't talk to me." Kenshin's slightly chastising tone made Kaoru even angrier, mostly because she knew he was right and she _was_ being childish. She pouted for a moment longer before looking at him.

"Alright, I'll make an effort to be civil for…fifteen minutes. Impress me."

Kenshin smiled warmly and Kaoru bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to ignore exactly what that smile did to her insides.

"So, what's your favorite color?"

"I love blue. Doesn't matter what hue or tone. I love blue." She bit her lip for a moment before continuing. "And yours?"

Kenshin's face grew thoughtful for a moment before stating quite honestly, "I don't know."

Kaoru's face grew critical again. "How can you not know what your favorite color is? That's like…one of the first things any kid figures out once he or she starts talking."

"Honestly, it depends on my mood. When I'm brooding, I like slate blue-gray. When I'm happy, I like midnight blue. When I'm feeling…passionate, I like red. When I'm depressed or sad, I like magenta."

Kaoru's brow rose. "Magenta? Not the most…likely color."

"That's the point. Magenta's a ridiculous color. Honestly, it shouldn't be allowed outside of nature. Can you picture me in a magenta shirt? I look horrible. That's precisely the point. Just thinking of such a goofy color makes me happier."

Kaoru's eyebrow was still up, but she supposed to each his or her own and Kenshin's explanation was fascinating if nothing else. "So why not think about magenta when you're brooding?"

"Sometimes I like to wallow in self-pity for a while. That's why I picked such a dark color there."

"You are a strange man."

He laughed and Kaoru found herself thinking about what a wonderful noise that laughter was. _No,_ she thought immediately. _Bad Kaoru. This guy's a jerk. You don't want to like him._

"I suppose I am," Kenshin said after a moment, "but I enjoy my strangeness."

They ate again in silence for a moment, but Kaoru didn't look so tense or critical as she had before. She studied him from under her lashes as he polished off the last of his ravioli. Trying to be objective and not hate him, Kaoru wondered what about her Kenshin found attractive. He was a handsome man and she had no doubt that he could probably get just about any woman he wanted. He was certainly charming and intelligent enough. For some reason he'd chosen to pursue a young tomboy-ish woman with a sharp mouth and a serious aversion to relationships. It took her a few minutes to realize that he was studying her back.

"What?" he asked, his tone slightly teasing. "Did I manage to get ravioli in my teeth?"

"No…I just…"

Kenshin's face turned inquisitive and he pushed his plate aside to set his elbows on the table and interlace his long fingers. "You just…?"

"I was wondering why you didn't just give up when I was such a bitch to you."

He seemed surprised by her question but smiled after a moment. "Kaoru, you seem to underestimate yourself. You're a beautiful, intelligent, young woman, and you have interests that mesh well with my own. You certainly had reason to be angry with me, though you did take it a bit to the extreme. I just figured you had your reasons for acting the way you did."

"There's probably one percent of the male population who would do what you did. Why did you have to be the weird one?"

"As you've already pointed out, I am a strange man."

As Kaoru relaxed, their conversation became even easier, developing a kind of light repartee that Kenshin rather enjoyed. Kaoru's quick indignity at anything she perceived to be insulting provided for interesting conversation and he occasionally goaded her on purpose just to watch the result and try to placate her. By the time they'd finished dessert, Kaoru seemed completely at ease with him, something he'd hoped would happen by the end of the night.

"So I think your fifteen minutes of decency ran out about forty-five minutes ago," he said carefully.

Kaoru looked at the clock, clearly surprised that so much time had passed. Her gaze when she turned back to him was grudging.

"So am I such an evil person?"

She glared at him for a moment before sighing, allowing her anger to deflate slightly. "I suppose you're not so bad."

"Sooo…" Kenshin drew out slightly, "would you be willing to do this again? Or maybe we could go walking in the park. Or we could go look at archaic literature in the library."

Kaoru laughed slightly at his eagerness. Apparently he'd enjoyed himself too. "I think I could agree to that. But first you have to stop by my apartment and fix my window."

He grinned slightly as she fixed him with a shy smile. "I think I can do that."

oOoOoOoOo

Kenshin and Kaoru's relationship progressed steadily for five months, though it took her a month of dating before she let him kiss her. They saw each other a great deal though, even outside of dates and outings, because something went wrong in Kaoru's apartment nearly every day, or so it seemed.

"Are you ever just gonna sleep with him and get it over with?" Misao complained one day when she, Kaoru, and Megumi were out one day. "It would do wonders for your attitude."

"And just what is wrong with my attitude?" Kaoru asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Misao nearly bit back her retort before deciding to be bluntly honest. "That's the problem with your attitude. Sometimes we're just teasing you, but you take it so personally you nearly almost always threaten us with imminent death. Though you have yet to carry through on any threats, I sometimes wonder about your previous friends."

Kaoru glared a moment longer before realizing how serious her friend was. Her anger disappeared and turned to curiosity. "And you really think sleeping with Kenshin would stop this from happening?"

"Not completely, but I think you might change your threat to…I don't know…loss of limb as opposed to painful and gruesome death. Frankly, Sano could do with a few less fingers."

Megumi laughed behind her hand as Kaoru's eyebrow rose. "Sex is not the answer to everything," she pointed out as she took another sip of coffee.

Megumi intervened before Misao could give any more future ammunition. "Kaoru, you'd be surprised what sex can do for a good relationship. It…it's like…the way it makes you feel, to know you can go home to a wonderful man who will make you feel like a goddess before snuggling with you goes a long way towards healing serious emotional wounds. It also tends to make fights more civil and less angry, generally because you can look forward to great make-up sex afterwards."

Kaoru snorted into her coffee before snitching the last of Misao's brownie. "Personally, I think you two have overactive libidos. Sex is well enough, but it's not…I mean…"

"Listen Kaoru, both the men you slept with were not like Kenshin. They were the kind of men to use sex to their own ends and not really care about the woman's happiness. I can tell you already that Kenshin won't be like that. When you two have sex, he will be just as concerned if not more concerned, about your happiness in the act."

"You say 'when' like it's guaranteed."

"Oh trust me, sweetie," Misao said with a grin, "he'll sweep you off your feet one night and you won't even know what hit you until he's…"

"We just know," Megumi cut off what would surely have been a very graphic end to Misao's sentence with a glare.

Kaoru's joined Megumi in glaring at the small woman before turning stony again. "And what if sex was all he was in it for?"

"Kaoru, if all Kenshin wanted was sex, believe you me, he'd have already gotten it. You're not exactly the only fish in the sea and there are plenty of women out there willing to sleep with a guy by the third date if not sooner. And in case you haven't noticed by now, Kenshin is definitely a desirable example of the male side of the species."

Kaoru stared moodily into her coffee as she digested her friends' opinions. After a moment, she glanced up, her face turning as red as her boyfriend's hair. "And if we were…I mean…it's been a while since I…and I never really had the best experiences…"

Megumi began her infuriating laugh again as Misao giggled. "Trust me honey, the first time around, Kenshin will want everything to be special. He'll probably do most of the work. You just get to lay there and enjoy being worshiped. After that, he can teach you about loving, or we can. Whichever you'd prefer."

Kaoru blanched at the thought of asking Misao for sexual advice, but maybe Megumi wouldn't be so bad…if she refrained from teasing Kaoru about it at every opportune moment.

After a moment, she banished the subject entirely from her brain. What would come would come, no matter Megumi and Misao's opinions. "Ok, next subject. What should I get him for Christmas?"

oOoOoOoOo

Kaoru glanced nervously around her as she knocked on the door. While Kenshin practically lived in her apartment, she'd never seen his space in the complex. However, Kenshin had insisted that they have their Christmas celebration together in his apartment. Neither she nor Kenshin had any family left, save Kenshin's crotchety adoptive father, so they had decided to celebrate together rather than crashing one of their friends' celebrations. Kenshin had already assured her that his adoptive father would probably rather drop thirty hungry piranhas down his pants than spend Christmas with another living soul. Thus, they would be alone for the night and Kaoru couldn't help but think about a certain conversation about sex with a certain redhead and exactly how much it might pertain to tonight.

Kenshin swung the door open with a wide grin on his face and she answered immediately with a smile of her own as he pulled her inside and kissed her sweetly. "Merry Christmas," he whispered as they broke apart, resting his forehead against hers for a moment before pulling farther back and turning so she could see the apartment. "Welcome to my humble abode."

Kaoru nearly snorted at his use of the word "humble." Kenshin had a flair for decorating that might have made her think he was batting for the same side if not for his obvious interest in her. Though the rooms were no bigger than hers, they were certainly in better repair. The living room was painted in a deep wine red that was a wonderful counterpoint of warmth to the wind howling outside. His furniture was assorted in beiges, chocolate browns, and golds, and he had set up a small electric fireplace in one corner of the room that was cheerfully giving off dancing light in the dimly lit room. Though Kaoru could see track lightning on the ceiling, Kenshin had it dimmed and had opted for several candles instead.

"Going for atmosphere, were we?" she asked dryly as she set down his gift and her contribution for the night's dinner: a store bought rotisserie chicken and a bottle of reasonably good wine.

"What can I say?" he said, a smirk coloring his voice. "It's Christmas."

"Hpmh…you never do anything with only one reason in mind. What are you up to?"

He shook his head at her, his grin widening. "It would be bad of me to spoil the surprise now wouldn't it?"

She smacked him lightly on the arm and he was quick enough to catch her wrist and pull her around for another quick kiss. She could feel him grinning against her lips and her thoughts began taking more deliberate turns toward a certain direction.

"So, are you hungry?" he asked, breaking away before the kiss was really over.

"I didn't eat all day since you've been bragging about how well you can cook for so long."

"I was not bragging."

"Sure you weren't Mr. 'I had homemade soufflé last night.'"

"You asked me what I ate for dinner. I was simply giving an honest answer."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Kaoru was partially lying on this count. She could already certainly _smell_ it, and it smelled wonderful.

"Make yourself comfortable and I'll get everything ready. Do you want to do buffet style or should I just bring everything to you?"

"Doesn't really matter," she said absently, turning back towards the room with the intent of getting to know Kenshin a little better through his choice of interior décor.

Once her eyes moved beyond the furniture, she was immediately drawn to a daisho stand set over a low bookshelf. Without actually drawing the swords she couldn't be sure of their quality, but they certainly looked authentic and well-taken care of. Hanging on the wall over the swords was a brush painting. Wracking her brain for archaic symbols, she tried to make sense of the verse.

"For my sins I will protect without causing harm," Kenshin said quietly next to her shoulder. She glanced back at him, slightly startled by how quietly he'd managed to sneak up on her.

"That's a rather odd thing to have on your wall."

"It's to remind me never to become something I don't want to be."

She sensed there was more of a story behind his words, but chose not to pursue it. Seeking to lighten the mood, she turned her attention to an easy subject: food. "So chicken from me, miso and rice from you. I'm not all that impressed so far, Kenshin."

"I'm not done," he said, matching her teasing tone. She watched as he returned to his stove before turning and looking about a bit more. A picture of a woman caught her eye, and she moved to gaze at it more closely. The woman in the frame was quite beautiful, dressed in a traditional kimono with an umbrella opened over her shoulder, but she looked extremely sad.

"Who is this?" she asked as Kenshin returned with something in a covered dish. He looked up, and his face went slightly blank.

"She was my wife."

Kaoru bit her tongue, realizing she suddenly stepped on a nerve best left untouched.

"Ah…" she said awkwardly, unsure of what to say next.

"She died in childbirth complications."

Kaoru bit her lip before going to him and carefully placing a hand on his shoulder. She didn't say "I'm sorry." She'd always that was a rather hollow thing to say in the face of death.

He stood with his head drooped for a moment before shaking himself slightly and looking up at her with a soft smile. "It was a long time ago." He placed his hand over hers for a moment before urging her to the floor in front of the fireplace.

"We're eating on the floor?"

"Do you see a table?"

"Do you always eat on the floor?"

"Yes, actually. I prefer sitting on the floor to sitting in a chair, so it's just always made sense to me."

They ate their dinner shoulder to shoulder, each leaning slightly into the other. The room was quiet, but it was a comfortable kind of quiet. "What's in the covered dish?" Kaoru asked when they finished with the chicken.

"Open it and see."

She lifted the lid and stared at the contents, slightly at a loss. "It's an American dish I learned in the states," Kenshin supplied. "It's cream cheese cornbread."

"That sounds awful, Kenshin."

"That's because you haven't tried it."

Without another word, he scooped some of the dish onto a plate and handed it to her. She raised one eyebrow as she eyed the concoction, but reached for her chopsticks and braced herself for the worst.

"It…it's…good."

Kenshin's smile broadened. "I told you it would be."

"But…"

"Just because something sounds awful doesn't mean it actually is awful. Now eat up and then I'll get the cake."

"Let me guess. You made that, too?"

"I may have."

Kaoru "humphed" lightly, but there was a smile dancing at the corners of her mouth. She finished the rest of the American dish without complaint—it actually was quite good—and then looked expectantly at Kenshin. He didn't fail her as he lifted a cover off another dish and revealed a beautifully decorated Christmas cake.

"You really went all out for tonight, didn't you?"

"Why wouldn't I? It's Christmas, after all. It's my job to sweep you off your feet."

She laughed lightly, her spine tingling a bit at the sudden, warm look in his eye. "I wouldn't say you've done much sweeping yet."

"Oh, really?" His grin turned wicked and she barely had time to register that he was standing before she was in his arms. Kaoru was thoroughly caught between surprise and laughter as Kenshin marched through his apartment to his second room. She started laughing in earnest when he dumped her on his futon and then flopped down beside her.

"Might you have something in mind, Kenshin?"

"Mmm…I might," he murmured as he closed in to kiss her. She laughed lightly against his lips before sighing and giving in to the wonderful feeling of his touch. His mouth was gentle against hers as one of his hands intertwined with her free hand. The other hand moved constantly along her shoulder, arm, and side, making her skin shiver with electricity.

He pulled away briefly and took in the peace and contentment written on her face. Her eyes opened slowly, and she smiled softly at him. "Would you like your gift?" he whispered, brushing his lips across her cheek as he spoke.

Her eyes narrowed a glare. "You started this, Himura Kenshin, and I'm certainly not letting you leave until you finish it."

His expression became serious for a moment. "Are you sure?"

"Kenshin, would I have let you get this far if I wasn't?"

He smiled wryly and eased his body more fully over hers. "As my lady commands."

oOoOoOoOo

As they lay in their afterglow, Kenshin began to remember himself. "You still didn't open your present," he said, rolling off her to give her more room to breathe.

"I thought I just got it," her voice teasing slightly.

He laughed softly before rising to his feet and disappearing into the living room. He returned a moment later bearing the gift she'd brought him, a gift that was probably hers, a bottle of champagne, and the untouched Christmas cake.

He handed the small, unfamiliar package to her before turning and lifting two glasses from what was probably a clothing chest. Settling back next to her, he poured her a some of the bubbling liquid before claiming some for himself. Looking up at her, he smiled slightly. "It's not a bomb or anything. You can go ahead and open it."

"But…"

"Just open it."

She "hmmphed" at him, but slid her finger under the wrapping paper. When she was finished uncovering it, she couldn't stop the grin from hitting her lips. In her hands was an antique, leather-bound book of traditional Western folk-tales. Flipping through, she saw stories from the Grimms, Hans Christian Anderson, Aesop…the list went on and on. "Thank you, Kenshin," she said out loud. "This is wonderful."

Running her hands over the gilt lettering of the cover a moment more, she turned to him. "Your turn."

He unwrapped his gift slowly, a smile lingering on his lips. Pulling the paper away, he found himself holding three books: _Kojiki, Nihonshoki_, and _Manyoshu_. Running his hands over the smooth covers wonderingly for a moment, he looked up and thanked her, his voice hushed.

They stared at each other for a moment before Kaoru suddenly burst out laughing. "Wha…what is it?"

"We must think alike," she said, a smile still adorning her face. "Our gifts are practically the same."

He joined her laughter after a moment, before sliding the books to the side and leaning forward to catch her in a gentle kiss. "Thank you, koishii."

"You're quite welcome," she murmured, taking one of his hands in her own.

He hesitated then, suddenly looking distinctly uncomfortable. "Kenshin…are you alright?"

His eyes met hers hesitantly before he smiled, his teeth flashing. "Fine. Shall we have some of this cake?"

Her lips turned upward in response after a moment, though she could tell he still seemed troubled. As Kenshin cut the cake, he considered whether or not he should tell her how he felt, but decided against it. He didn't want to scare her away. They finished the cake and champagne in comfortable silence and when that was done, Kaoru decided she should become better acquainted with Kenshin's body.

Later that night, with Kaoru asleep in his arms, Kenshin murmured the words he'd been afraid to say to her waking self. "I love you, Kaoru."

She mumbled in her sleep and turned slightly into him, burying her face in his neck. "I love you, too, you big lug," she whispered.

"And I'm sorry I shorted your electricity the night I fixed your shower."

"That's ok," she muttered, turning over in her sleep. Kenshin braced himself.

"YOU DID WHAT?"

* * *

_Cultural notes: Christmas is a secular holiday in Japan and thus it has become a romantic holiday. Christmas chicken and cake are the traditional foods. It is a time for couples to be together and exchange gifts. If the couple is serious, the evening will often culminate as Kenshin and Kaoru's evening did. On Kaoru's hesitance to open Kenshin's gift this is also cultural, it's usually considered rude to open a gift in front of the person who gave it to you. _Kojiki, Nihonshoki, _and _Manyoshu _are ancient Japanese books that were written before _The Tale of Genji.

_A/N: This was written purely for my own enjoyment. I got rather tired of writing angsty seriousness for a while, so I thought I'd overdose on fluff for a bit. As a Christmas gift to all of you, because I know I really haven't posted anything in a very inappropriate amount of time. I'm still alive and still writing. It's just that it's slowed significantly with the start of classes. Hope everyone had happy holidays and I wish you all the best in the New Year._


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